IFC Takes “The Trip”

IFC Takes "The Trip"

IFC Films has announced that it has acquired the U.S. rights to Michael Winterbottom’s British comedy “The Trip,” starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon. The film premiered at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival to warm notices, making this yet another pick-up out of that festival, which saw a wildly successful sales market. It also marks the fourth time IFC Films is working with Revolution Films; and the third time working with Michael Winterbottom, following the releases of “The Red Riding Trilogy,” “The Shock Doctrine,” and “The Killer Inside Me.” The film was produced by Andrew Eaton and Melissa Parmenter of Revolution Films.

Largely improvised, “The Trip” follows fictionalized versions of actors Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon through “foodie heaven” as they stop at some of the best restaurants and inns in the north of England. They spend much of the trip trying to one-up each other with dueling impersonations of Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Sean Connery and Woody Allen.

“We are thrilled to be working again with IFC,” Andrew Eaton, Co-Director of Revolution Films remarked in a statement. “When they started doing impressions of Steve and Rob as Michael Caine, we knew we had found the right home for the film.”

“Like the cheering audiences in Toronto, we fell in love with Michael Winterbottom’s ‘The Trip,'” Jonathan Sehring, President of IFC Films commented. “Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon give the comic performances of the year in this deeply funny and unexpectedly moving film that shows Michael Winterbottom going in yet another unexpected direction. We’re thrilled to be releasing this film and are happy to continue a great collaboration with Andrew Eaton and our friends at Revolution Films.”

The deal was negotiated by IFC Films’ Senior Vice President of Acquisitions & Co-Productions Arianna Bocco with Andrew Eaton, Co-Director of Revolution Films.